Girlfriend will do just fine
by RangerFromTheNorth
Summary: It's just a little L/J drabble my cousin and I wrote up in fifteen minutes. Short, sweet, and funny James is rather confused about how to introduce Lily. "This is my girlfriend- no, my friend...no, my girl who's a friend..."


**A/N:**

**My cousin and I wrote this in about 15 minutes, and I just posted it to see if anyone would think it was any good. Well? Is it any good? Review and tell me!**

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**Girlfriend Will Do Just Fine**

Lily Evans, Arabella Figg, Helen Adams and the Marauders gathered up their things, promising to write each other and try to get together this summer. Arabella was tearfully hugging an awkward looking Sirius Black, who was patting her back when an idea struck him.

"Would a good snog make you feel any better?"

In answer, Arabella stepped out of the compartment, gesturing to Sirius to follow.

"Not a bad idea. Want to take a leaf out of their book, Remus?"

This time it was Remus who stepped out of the compartment with Helen in tow, leaving Lily and James alone.

Lily grabbed her trunk and owl, hurrying off the train.

James called after her disappointedly, "Lily? No goodbye?"

The fiery head turned back to glance briefly at him as she continued down the train. "I don't know about your parents, but mine want to meet you."

James grinned. "Been telling them about me, have you?"

Lily swatted him on the arm, avoiding rewarding him with a look. "They wanted to meet the Head Boy I had to work with all year, especially since we had to share a dormitory."

"Well, I've been telling my parents about you," James informed her confidentially.

"Have you really?" Lily asked distractedly, searching the crowds for her parents. "There they are!" She rushed over into the embrace of a woman who looked remarkably like her, except for the eyes.

James followed behind her more slowly, giving her a chance to talk to her parents for a moment before introducing himself.

Lily's mother spotted him over her daughter's head. "Who's this, Lily dear?"

Lily turned around. "This is James Potter, one of my best friends. He was the Head Boy- we worked together on a lot of things. This is my mum, Maria Evans."

"Pleasure to meet you," James told her politely. "I've really enjoyed working with Lily this year."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Maria said, shaking his hand.

As soon as they had finished with the necessary niceties, Lily grabbed James' hand and pulled him over to where his parents were waiting, calling over her shoulder, "I'm going to meet James' parents - I'll be right back."

James led her to an older couple, a woman with long, straight dark hair, that had been at one point the same color as James', and a man with James' sparkling hazel eyes.

"Mom, Dad meet my girlfriend - I mean my girl who's a friend - I mean friend who's a girl. No, I mean, um..."

James' mother was struggling to suppress a laugh, and his father was trying hard not to smile, and failing miserably. He regretted it now, but James had told his parents that Lily Evans was the girl he fancied and that she was the only girl in the school who wouldn't go out with him - she thought he was a big-headed, egotistical prat.

"Her name is Lily," Sirius put in helpfully, suddenly appearing behind the Potters.

"Thank you, Sirius," James said, glaring at his best friend.

"Don't worry, Prongs, I'm sure you would've remembered eventually." Sirius grinned, winking at Lily.

Lily laughed and drew closer to her fellow Head Student. "James?" When he looked at her, she continued. "Girlfriend will do just fine."

James gaped at her, trying to find words and failing entirely.

Lily bit her lip, looking crestfallen. "It's fine if you don't want to. I just thought..." she trailed off, turning away to leave.

James finally found his voice. He grabbed her arm and spun her back around. "Oh, I want to. Just give me a minute to process it."

Lily waited patiently until James continued.

"Okay, now say it again."

"Girlfriend will do just fine."

James grinned triumphantly, his expression full of joy and love. "Does that mean I can kiss you?" he asked.

Sirius snickered and both James and Lily glared at him.

"Not in front of everyone, you can't," Lily said resolutely, although she too was smiling.

"Lily...I, um, forgot something on the train. Come help me look for it,"James told her as he dragged her back onto the Hogwarts Express.

He then tugged her into the nearest compartment and slammed the door.

A slow grin spread across Lily's face as she realized something. "You didn't leave something. This isn't our compartment. James, when I said 'not in front of everyone' I meant -"

But James never found out what Lily meant, because he chose that moment to snog her.

And sadly, the conductor chose that moment to check if anyone was in their compartment.

"Blimey! Off the train, you two!"

They hurried away, Lily's face flushed with embarrassment, James just angry that his first kiss with Lily Evans had been so rudely interrupted.

On the drive home, Lily repeatedly brushed her fingers over her lips, remembering the softness and warmth of James Potter's lips against hers, the way they fitted so naturally around each other, the feel of his pepperminty breath on her lips... Lily was in a daze the whole drive home, thinking about her first kiss.

"So, honey, what did James forget?" her mother asked.

"Oh... just his glasses case. It was under the seat," Lily lied quickly.

"Mmmm-hmmm. Right," said Lily's father.

"You're sure?" Maria Evans questioned suspiciously.

"Absolutely positive." Lily could hear her parents laughing softly in the front seat. They obviously knew that that was not the truth.

As soon as James had apparated home with his parents and Sirius, he shut himself in his room and began to write a letter. Twenty minutes later, his Great Gray owl flew out of his second-story window.

Dear Lily,

Did you really mean what you said at the station? After all, we just started getting along really well. Even if that's true, I thought you should know something. I've fancied you for years, almost since the beginning of school. I realized something a few weeks ago. I'm in love with you. It's not a typical young-man thing where I say I love you and then I dump you a week later. I mean it. If I felt the same way for seven years while you hated me, why would I change my mind now that you like me? I understand if you don't feel the same way, but do you think you might be, in time? We don't have to do anything right now, there's no hurry. Please write back and tell me the truth.

Love, James

P.S. Do you and the rest of your friends want to come to my house for the first week of July? Sirius, Remus and Peter will be there, too.

James,

I do not think I could love you-

I thought for several minutes and realized that the above statement is, indeed, true. I could not love you anymore than I do now. After all, do you think I would have let some big-headed, egotistical git claim my first kiss? I think not.

I thought we might be jumping into this too fast (after all, we are only seventeen, and supposedly we're in love), but then I thought about all the times you were there for me when no one else was, how much we've helped each other over the past year, everything we've accomplished together - and I think we both made the right decision.

I love you.

Lily

P.S. I would love to come to stay at your house for the first week of July. I've already owled Arabella and Helen, and they are both coming too.

Lily-

Thank you. For giving a hopeless brat a second chance. And I am sorry. Sorry no one else was there for you. Sorry anyone had to be there for you because of...well, you know. But on the bright side, we both found love.

Love always, James

P.S. So glad you can make it in July. I think we should go watch Muggle fireworks. Your verdict?

James-

I don't think I had any choice but to give you a chance. But rest assured, I am glad I did. I still don't think you're more than a brat, but I love you. I know that doesn't make sense, but...it's true.

Love, Lily

P.S. Muggle fireworks sound good. Helen and Bella agree.

Lily-

I love you.

Love, James

James-

I think I might have been aware of that.

Love, Lily

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10 MONTHS LATER

"LILY! WHAT IS THAT ON YOUR HAND?!" Arabella shrieked.

"I do believe it is called an engagement ring, Bella."

"An...ENGAGEMENT RING!" Arabella fell back onto the couch in the waiting room of the restaurant at which they were going on a triple-date. Helen, Lily, Arabella, Remus, James, and Sirius.

"Er, yes," Lily confirmed.

"Who to?" Arabella was (thankfully) using a normal tone of voice, but she was still just as surprised.

"You'll see," Lily replied mysteriously.

"Aargh! Just tell me already!"

"He'll be here."

"You are infuriating, Lily Evans," Arabella huffed, crossing her arms.

A new voice came from behind them. "She's Lily Potter now."

Arabella, Sirius, Helen and Remus' jaws dropped as one as they turned to face James Potter, his arms crossed, a satisfied smile on his face.

"You're already married!?" all four of their other friends shouted.

"What? Hell, no. This summer," James told them. "But she already calls herself Lily Potter."

Sirius grinned. "I think she likes you, James."

"Do you think?" Lily asked sarcastically before slipping her arms around James' waist and kissing him. Only one coherent thought was made, unbroken, in James' head. Life is perfect.

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**A/N 2: If you liked it, check out my other L/J fic. I've got four chapters up so far. It, unlike this one, is a real thing with plot, etc. Read it and let me know what you think.**


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